Maybe When They're Gone
by Mr. Blu-All Will Be Well
Summary: Kazuya doesn't want to see another friend die. He knows that there is only one solution. But perhaps his judgment is a bit impared...


It had been beautiful.

The funeral of Rana Linchen would forever be a memory seared with death and feather into Kazuya's mind. Forever, he would see it whenever his eyes snapped shut. He'd be reminded of the grace of the affair. It had been small, only himself, Ganessa Roland, Arthur, Chiffon, and Hiragi. The sun had been shining that day, bathing the land in a soft yellow glow. The trees caught the light and seemed to throw it upon the lake they surrounded. There had been wonderful white cotton adorning Rana, and even after the life had left her she still brought a blush to Kazuya's cheeks. As Chiffon stepped up to the head of the coffin, not a sound was heard in the whole world. She'd cleared her throat and...

He'd heard nothing.

A buzzing had entered his ears. The sound grew louder and louder, slowly drowning out Chiffon's words. Kazuya had seen her mouth move, continuing to speak, no doubt, of Rana in life. But had she been that unimportant to him? Had his pain been all consuming enough the keep him from participating in the last good deed anyone would ever do her? It disgusted Kazuya to no end to think such thoughts. But, as suddenly as the speech had begun, it was over. Two men came over to lower the coffin into the ground, as the Twenty-One gun salute began. He remember them, each pulsing, rocketing shot hammering into his brain that one, simple, inescapable fact. That Rana was dead and never coming back.

And being lowered into the ground before his own unwilling eyes.

And it was for that very reason that he locked up his dorm at West Genetics, his jaw locked and his teeth clenching together. Though his journey to sister Margaret's office was a long one due to the heavy suitcase he was carrying, soon it was complete. He set down his suitcase and opened the door slowly.

"Principal?" he said meekly. At first no response greeted him, but after a moment or two a soft, "Come in, Kazuya," answered him. He entered the room and approached Margaret's desk slowly. The kindly old woman smile at him until, of course, he handed her the piece of ruffled paper in his hand.

The text read:

_Dear Principal,_

_I would appreciate being allowed to resign as a Limiter at West Genetics, to leave today. Making this decision has been a hard one. _

_I do in fact wish to help guide us to victory, but I feel I might do that in another way._

_However, the decision is irreversible as I have signed this contract and so been legally bound by it._

_I do wish good luck and fortune to our students here, and to you, Principal. I thank you for the opportunities I have been given here to help my fellow man and the connections I have been allowed to make here, but I believe this is the healthiest decision._

_With utmost respect,_

_Kazuya Aoi_

"Oh, phooey," Margaret said in obvious disappointment. "Well, I suppose I can't exactly force you to stay. Fate of the world or not, it's not in the protocol."

"I'm...uh...sorry, Principal," Kazuya stuttered. "I just...a good friend of mine died seven days ago. I don't want to see anyone else I care about die."

Margaret's smile faded.

"A logical person would call you selfish, any commander," she said coldly. " But go if you must. Like I said, I can't make you stay."

Kazuya scowled at the woman, then exited the office. He picked up the suitcase and walked down to the stairs. The doors yielded a golden brick path laid out in front of him. And there were...people lining them. Pandoras, Limiters, hordes of them. All completely silent, waiting for him to start his trek across the great chasm in the crowd. Slowly, quietly, and scowling ferociously, he started walking. All of them, every single person, watched him. Their eyes followed him, and suddenly Kazuya realized how disheveled he was. He was sure that his hair was a mess of cowlicks and lose strands, and it felt as though his shirt was almost untied. But Kazuya didn't care. They could gawk all they wanted.

And then they started...whispering. He could hear Attia whisper to Creo, "Oh, how the mighty have fallen!' both snickered at the cruel joke. Elizabeth merely sank ice claws into him with her stare, as though she were looking at a very interesting bug. Chiffon, Ticy, and Hiragi were all looking at him with concerned faces. "This isn't because of Rana is it?" Ticy squeaked.

And somebody was pushing through the crowd. Towards _him_.

A familiar mess of orange-brown hair.

"What's happening? Why's everybody so quiet...?"

It was none other than Satellizer el Bridget, staring right at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Kazuya...you were...you-"

"Where were you?" he practically hissed at her.

"At the funeral?"

"Who's?" she asked.

"Rana's!" Kazuya growled.

He didn't quite take in the look of shock upon her face when she heard that.

"Rana's...dead?"

"How thick are you? Where do you think she's been for the past week?"

"Look, I thought she was on as-" she started, but Kazuya dropped his things and started towards her.

"The latest attack ended three days ago!"

He was dangerously close to her now. She'd... she'd had to have known about it. How couldn't she have? there had been an air over the Academy since her death. Everyone had felt it, even the instructors. It was part of-

"This is all due to that bizarre love triangle between the three of us isn't it?" he breathed to her. "You knew. You knew that Rana was finally out of the way, and you could have me all to yourself. Well I'm sorry, Satellizer. I love you but that's just...barbaric!"

The entire crowd was a colossal wave of shocked faces, all looking to Satellizer and Kazuya then back again. It took a moment for Kazuya's words to sink in Satellizer's brain.

Kazuya had picked up his things once again and started on the path to the monorail once again, only to be pounced on by a very tearful Pandora. "You...dumbass," she cried. "You can't just...just drop...something like that on someone and then walk off." She appeared to get control of herself for a moment. In the light of the sun, her face, shiny with tears, looked very attractive to Kazuya.  
>"Please, Kazuya," she said. "Just...stay. I'm begging you. You're the only person who's touch doesn't make me want to throw up...And I...I need someone with me! I want to be protected too!"<p>

Then his lips met hers in a furious kiss. Once again, the crowds faces were shocked, but, one by one, they started to cheer. Even the third year elite couldn't keep the fever away. After a long minute, she pulled away, blushing furiously. "I love you," she whispered in his ear.

"I love you too, Satellizer," he said. "But I already filled out the resignation papers. It's final and irrevocable."

"But," tears were forming in her eyes again. "Kazuya...I...I need you..."

"I'm sorry," he sobbed into the crook of her neck. " I'm sorry for insulting you. I'm sorry for not waiting and just being so blind. It was the worst mistake of my entire life. But I will wait until they're gone. I don't care how long this war takes, the second its over I will return for you."

"And I'll fight as hard as I can, and be here waiting," Satellizer said, a fearsome look on her face. " I promise you, Kazuya."

She kissed him again, this time wrapping her arms around him and holding onto him as if her were he only ledge in the world. Which, in a sense, he was.

All too soon, it ended.

"Kill every last goddamn one of them for me," Kazuya said to her, which elicted a giggle from her.

And then he was walking away.

And on the monorail, riding away from West Genetics Academy.

And his last memory of her for years to come was her, her face shining, blonde hair flowing in the wind, wreathed in golden sunlight, and surrounded by all the people he'd come to know so well.

It was beautiful.


End file.
